Toivo Ndjebela
14 July 2011
Windhoek — Cabinet’s push to outlaw labour hire in Namibia is gaining momentum, with amendments to the Labour Act expected to be tabled in parliament for debate as early as September.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba, himself a product of labour hire, has vowed to ensure that the practice is banned in Namibia and this reality is seemingly fast coming home to roost.
The Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Immanuel Ngatjizeko confirmed yesterday that, as per Cabinet’s directive for the amendment of the Labour Act, his ministry and others have been busy working on just that.
Ngatjizeko revealed this at a meeting yesterday where Evilastus Kaaronda, leader of the country’s largest labour federation and a sworn enemy of labour hire, reiterated that something should be done to end the practice.
Kaaronda, Secretary General of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), yesterday said: “Labour hire is a thorn in our flesh and therefore should come to an end as soon as possible.”
It was to this call that Ngatjizeko reacted by revealing that major strides have been made in amending the controversial Section 128 of the Labour Act of 2007, which the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional.
The judgment gave leeway to African Personnel Services (APS), a South African labour hire company that dragged the Namibian government to court for banning labour hire. APS emerged victorious in the Supreme Court and the practice of labour hire has since continued unabated in the country.
But in what could be a slap in the face of labour hire businesses, Ngatjizeko revealed: “Consultations on labour hire have been ongoing and much of the formulation part is completed.”
The former Trade and Industry Minister added: “The amendments are currently in the hands of legal drafters and we are hopeful that they would be tabled during the next session of parliament which starts in September.”
President Pohamba has notably compared the labour hire practice to the notorious pre-independence system used to recruit contract labourers by the infamous South West Africa Native Labour Association (Swanla).
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